Just wanted to send a big mahalo to the Hawaii People’s Fund and our partner organization Na Koa `Opio for helping us to secure an HPF grant to support continued restoration efforts and continued learning at Hanakehau. As we work to restore our `aina and provide space for cultural practices and learning, it takes a lot of hard work! Mahalo nui to Darlene Rodrigues, executive director of HPF, and Ka`anohi Kaleikini and her team of dedicated kanaka maoli. We look forward to exciting opportunities this year and hope to see you here!

Aloha kakou,
for those of you that heard about our mongoose massacre earlier this year we’re happy to say our two survivors Lili’u and Sally are still with us, along with ten youngsters. Tomorrow we’ll be adding three Ameraucanas for diversity. Unlike the Isa Browns we have right now that lay beautiful brown eggs,

the Ameraucanas will be laying blue green eggs in a month or so. Both breeds are good with keiki and help us add nitrogen to the soil and lay about 6 eggs a week. So with 15 chickens x 6 eggs/week that’s about 90 eggs or 7 dozen a week! Yep we’re still wondering what we were thinking when we put in the order, but these girls are here to stay.

if any wahine out there haven’t signed up for this year’s `Aha Wahine, it’s not too late! Go to www.ahawahine.org to register. The mini-`aha held earlier this year was such a success thanks to Mehana and all the other organizers, committee members, volunteers, and presenters. There are presentations and workshops on leadership, health, healing, hana no`eau, and much, much more. This `aha will be held at Leeward Community College, right in our backyard. Hope to see you there!

This Sunday, July 29th, 2012 come join us at Thomas Square to celebrate Ka La Ho`iho`i Ea, the day Independence was restored to Hawai`i after British occupation. We’ll be selling smoked meat plates, mamaki tea, and the usuals T-shirts, etc. Hope to see you there!